David Ortiz: It’s Contractin’ Time

David Ortiz currently leads the Red Sox in every offensive category except stolen bases. Sports a .315 batting average, has scored 30 runs, driven in 30 and clubbed 10 home runs. He called the players meeting that appears to have turned the pitching staff around and brought accountability to their efforts.

He also, after finding out the player meeting had been leaked, called out the press and the front office for not showing him enough respect, as a player and as a leader.

Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe has made it known he wants Sox General Manager Ben Cherington to offer David a 2 year deal and there are many, many fans who agree.

I’m not one of them.

Ortiz is a great player and a great teammate, he is clearly a leader in the clubhouse and despite what he says, he is widely respected. But the respect he is talking about, at least from the front office, isn’t respect at all. It’s money.

Jerry Remy talking on WEEI said he was “quite surprised“ by David’s comments and that it had to be “contract related”. Ortiz is beginning to negotiate a new deal from a position of power, he wanted 2 years last year and he wants it again this year. I doubt he will get it no matter how much he chirps about it.

Cherington has already shown himself to be thoughtful, considered and perhaps a little risk averse. So far he hasn’t appeared to let sentiment cloud his judgement. He knows Ortiz doesn’t want to play anywhere else and he knows roughly what he will have to pay for a one year deal. He also knows a one year deal is the safest option available.

As for the Cafardo and the Globe, I don’t remember them gushing about signing Ortiz to multi-year deals after 2 months of the 2008 or 2009 seasons. So why do it after 2 months of the 2012 season? Often the best choice is not the most popular choice.